Protection device for the operating member of a fire hydrant

ABSTRACT

The polygonal operating member of a fire hydrant is encircled and concealed by a washer and collar. The collar has a shoulder encircled and concealed by an outer member which rotates on the collar but is axially fixed to the latter. The collar is rotationally and axially fixed to the operating member for the application of torque to the latter. The collar is moreover provided with a flat chordal face exposed between the washer and outer member for engagement by a special wrench. The wrench has two legs cooperatively defining a cylindrical surface with a flat chordal face thereon.

United States Patent Diaz [ Jan. 9, 1973 54] PROTECTION DEVICE FOR TIIE OPERATING MEMBER OF A FIRE HYDRANT Inventor: Raul R5151 15in; Brooklyn/NY.

Filed: Feb. 12,1971

Appl. No.: 1 14,915

u.s. Cl. ..137/296, 81/331, 137/3825 Int. Cl ..Fl6k 35/06 Field of Search "70121 -223 2 311; 287/5311; 137/272, 294, 296, 377, 382, 382.5; 251/89, 95-97, 101-110, 291, 292

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1958 Danielson ..25 1/1 10 5/1968 Cornell "251/291 3,556,131 1/1971 Diaz ..l37/382.5

Primary Examiner-M. Cary Nelson Assistant Examiner-Richard Gerard Attorney-Robert & Cohen [57] ABSTRACT The polygonal operating member of a fire hydrant is encircled and concealed by a washer and collar. The

- collar has a shoulder encircled and concealed by an 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures l I I, I 45 2 4 30 22 OPEN PATENTEDJM ems 3.709.249 SHEET 1 UF 2 INVESTOR. RAUL RALPH DIAZ Mwla PAIENTEDJM 9 ma 3,709,249

sum 2 OF 2 FIG. 4

Hu 1 m INVENTOR. RAUL RALPH DIAZ mmw ATTORNEYS PROTECTION DEVICE FOR THE OPERATING MEMBER OF A FIRE HYDRANT FIELD OF INVENTION This invention relates to protection devices for preventing the unauthorized use of fire hydrants and the like and to tools for operating the same.

BACKGROUND In my earlier US. Pat. No. 3,556,131, which issued Jan. 19, 1971, I disclosed a protection device for fire hydrants involving mounting, on the operating member of a hydrant, a rotatable member which concealed the operating member and which prevented torque from being transferred to the operating member except through a limited space requiring a special tool.

In the aforesaid arrangement, engagement was made directly with the hydrant operating member thereby permitting a slight degree of damage thereto as well as a slight possibility of rotating the same with makeshift tools.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to improve upon my previously patented protection device and to provide a suitable tool for use with the improved construction. g

More particularly, the objects of the invention include providing improved protection against. the unauthorized use of fire hydrants and the like with particular regard to the protection of the operating members of hydrants and to making the use of makeshift tools less plausible.

Briefly, to achieve the above and other objects of the invention, there is provided a protection device for an apparatus such as a fire hydrant including a body and a polygonal operating member protruding from this body. The protection device of the invention comprises a collar for encircling and being rotationally and axially fixed relative to this operating member. The collar conceals the operating member and includes a shoulder portion remote from the body and a generally cylindrical portion adjacent the body. This generally cylindrical portion has a limited engagement surface for the transfer of torque to the collar and thereby to the operating member. In addition, a means is provided engaging the shoulder which is rotatable on the collar and is adapted to conceal the latter with the exception of the cylindrical portion and engagement surface.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the surface is a flat chordal face and there may be comprised a washer which is located between the collar and body, the washer having a larger diameter than the col lar.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the means mentioned above may include a dome with a skirt depending from this dome and a ring threadably engaged in the skirt and locking the shoulder portion in the skirt, the ring having at least one axially disposed opening facing the body and providing for the engagement therewith with the dome and skirt.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the aforesaid chordal face subtends an angle of less 1 than about 75.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a wrench intended for use with the protection device described generally hereinabove, the wrench comprising first and second pivotally connected legs cooperatively defining a cylindrical portion with a flat chordal face.

In accordance with a feature of the invention as regards the wrench, a means may be provided to lock the legs together and one of the legs may be shorter than the other and nest in the latter.

In accordance with another constructional feature of the invention, one leg may include a portion straddling the other leg and cooperatively defining therewith an opening, the aforesaid means including a pin extendable throu'ghthe opening and means attaching the pin to one of the legs.

As a consequence of the general dimensions of the protection device, the chordal face defined by the wrench may likewise subtend an angle of less than about 75.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING:

as part of the protection device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a wrench provided in accordance with the invention for use with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the wrench of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION INVENTION:

' The fire hydrant 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a body 12 having an operating member 14 protruding upwardly therefrom. By rotation of the operating member 14 water is discharged from the fire such that the washer may encircle the operating member 14 and come to rest against the upper surface 26 of the body 12 of hydrant 10.

The ring 18 is externally threaded and is provided with a central opening 28 as well as, for example, three axially extending openings 30, the purpose of which will become hereinafter apparent.

The collar 20 includes a generally circular or cylindrical section 32 and a shoulder portion 34, these two sections being integral with one another and the entire member being fabricated, for example, of a metal such as iron or steel, or of a plastic having suitable strength.

The circular portion 32 of the collar 20 is provided with a limited flat face 34 which serves as an engagement surface enabling the transmission of torque to the collar and thereby to the polygonal operating member 14 as will become apparent hereinafter.

To enable torque to be transferred between the collar 20 and the operating member 14, the collar 20 is provided with a plurality of radially disposed openings 36, through which extend threaded bolts which threadably engage in holes 36 and come to bear against respective faces of operating member 14 in such a manner that the collar 20 is locked against the operating member 14 in both a rotational and an axial sense.

The 'outer member 22 consists of a dome portion 38 with a skirt 40 depending therefrom. The inside of the member 22 is hollow, there being three graded cavity sections 42, 44 and 46 in increasing order of diameter.

The interior surface of the outer member 22 is threaded as indicated at 48 adjacent the chamber section 46. Between the chamber section 46 and the chamber section 44 is provided a shoulder 50. A shoulder 52 is located between the chamber section 44 and the chamber section 42. The outer periphery of member 22 is provided with a step indicated at 54.

The ring 18 is adapted to encircle the circular portion 32 of the collar 20 and with the external thread thereof to engage with the threaded portion 48 of member 22to lock the shoulder 34 of collar 20 in position within the chamber 44 of member 22. The positioning of shoulder 34 in this manner within the chamber 44 locks the member 22to the shoulder 34 of collar 20 in such a manner that axial displacement between these two elements is not possible or is at most possible only to a very slight extent while rotation may freely take place in a relative sense between these members.

At the same time, the circular portion 32 when properly located relative to operating member 14 completely conceals the operating member 14 from view and prevents the engagement thereof by anytool which might be intended to impart a torque to operating member 14.

Thus, as appears in FIG. 1, with the protection device of the invention suitably mounted on the operating member 14, the only elements which are exposed to view are the outer member 22, the collar '20 and the washer 16. The collar 20 has at best a very small axial extent exposed to view such that a special tool is required to make engagement with the same. In addition, the collar:20 is provided invportion 32 with a generally cylindrical surface with the exception of the engagement surface 34 which is in the nature of a flat chordal face. Only through the provision of this flat chordal'face is it possible to impart a torque to the col-' lar 20 and consequently to the operating member 14. Thus, unauthorized operation of the hydrant is prevented since the unauthorized person will not be possessed of the tool necessary to enter between the bottom of outer member 22 and the washer 16, nor will he be possessed of a tool having the necessary configuration to make engagement with the chordal face 34 in order to rotate the collar 20.

With respect to the chordal face 34, a wide variety of sizes and dispositions are possible. However, it is preferred that the chordal face face generally radially outwards and that the'chordal face be such as to su tend an angle of no more than 75 degrees.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a wrench which is provided in accordance-with the invention for the operation of the protection device described hereinabove. In these 68 and 70, the section 70 being provided with a semi-- cylindrical surface 72 and the section 68 being provided with a partly semi-cylindrical surface 74 adapted to cooperate with surface 72.

The surface 74 is provided with a flat chordal engag'ernent surface 76 of such a dimension and shape as to be able to cooperate with the chordal engagement surface provided in the collar 20. The chordal face 76 may be serrated as indicated at 78 or may alternatively be planar.

Attached to the leg 62 are straddling elements 80 having rounded terminals 82 provided with an opening 84 adapted to be aligned with opening 86 provided in leg 60. Pin 88 is attached by a chain 90 to leg 62 and is adapted to be inserted into the opening constituted by opening sections 84 and 86 when the leg 62 is moved into receptacle 66 of leg 60. In this closed and locked position the cylindrical surfaces of legs 60 and 62 are in encircling relationship to the circular or cylindrical portion of collar 20 with chordal surface 76 in engagement with the chordal surface on collar 20.

Rotation betweenthewrench and the collar is" no longerpossible when this has beenaccomplished and a torque force applied to the wrench will be transferred to the collar and thereby to the operating member of the fire hydrant.

The wrench may be fabricated of cast iron or sheet steel and the legs 60 and 62 are preferably flat members at least in the vicinity of cylindrical surfaces 72 and 74 to permit the insertion of the wrench between the bottom of outer member 72 and the upper surface of washer 16.

There has thus been disclosed above a protection device for a fire hydrant, which protection device comprises a collar for encircling and being rotationally and axially fixed relative to the operating member of the hydrant. The collar conceals the operating member and includes a shoulder portion remote from the body a generally cylindrical or circular portion adjacent the body. This generally cylindrical portion has a limited engagement surface for the transfer of torque to the collar and thereby to the operating member. A means is provided engaging the shoulder and rotatable on the collar adapted to conceal the latter with the exception of the cylindrical portion and engagement surface. This means is the outer member 22, the function of which is to prevent the imparting of torque to the operating member 14.

It is seen that the aforesaid engagement surface is-a flat chordal face in a preferred embodiment of the invention. The washer provided between the collar and body has a larger diameter than the collar sothat the collar can ride thereupon and so that forces deriving from the wrench will not mark and score the upper surface of the fire hydrant and so that friction with the fire hydrant will not be a factor in employing the wrench to impart a rotating force to'operating member 14.

Also seen in the above description and in the drawing is the construction of the outer member 22 which in cludes a dome with a skirt depending from the dome and having a ring threadably engaged in the skirt and locking the shoulder portion in the skirt so that the aforesaid rotation is permissible between the outer member and collar while axial displacement therebetween is impossible. It is also seen that the ring which is threadably inserted into the skirt has at least one axially disposed opening facing the body of the hydrant, this permitting a separate tool (not shown) to be used in threadably engaging the ring in position.

There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications and variations of the construction set forth above. These variations and modifications will not depart from the scope of the invention if defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A protection device for apparatus including a body and polygonal operating member protruding from said body, said protection device comprising a collar for encircling and being rotationally and axially fixed relative to said operating member, said collar concealing said operating member and including a shoulder portion remote from said body and a generally cylindrical portion adjacent the body, said generally cylindrical 2. A protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said surface is a flat chordal face.

3. A protection device as claimed in claim 2 comprising a washer between said collar engagement surface and body, the washer having a larger diameter than said collar.

4. A protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means includes a dome, a skirt depending from said dome, and a ring threadably engaged in said skirt and locking said shoulder portion against relative axial movement in the skirt, said ring having at least one axially disposed opening facing said body.

5. A protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said face subtends an angle of less than about l III 

1. A protection device for apparatus including a body and polygonal operating member protruding from said body, said protection device comprising a collar for encircling and being rotationally and axially fixed relative to said operating member, said collar concealing said operating member and including a shoulder portion remote from said body and a generally cylindrical portion adjacent the body, said generally cylindrical portion having a limited engagement surface for the transfer of torque to said collar and thereby to said operating member, and means engaging said shoulder and rotatable on said collar and concealing the latter with the exception of said cylindrical portion and engagement surface.
 2. A protection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said surface is a flat chordal face.
 3. A protection device as claimed in claim 2 comprising a washer between said collar engagement surface and body, the washer having a larger diameter than said collar.
 4. A protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said means includes a dome, a skirt depending from said dome, and a ring threadably engaged in said skirt and locking said shoulder portion against relative axial movement in the skirt, said ring having at least one axially disposed opening facing said body.
 5. A protection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said face subtends an angle of less than about 75* . 